Welcome to Rappler, a social news network where stories inspire community engagement and digitally fuelled actions for social change. Rappler comes from the root words "rap" (to discuss) + "ripple" (to make waves).

'Nakakaabala': Commuters slam Roque for MRT3 'PR stunt'

MANILA, Philippines – Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque found his Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) ride on Thursday, November 23, "not that bad," but commuters were not too pleased by this assessment.

Roque had earlier offered to ride the train, notorious for its increasingly frequent problems, at least once a week to better understand the plight of commuters, but regular riders took to Twitter to accuse the presidential spokesman of orchestrating a public relations stunt.

Netizens pointed out that Roque had taken a ride past rush hour, and had a security detail that kept him from experiencing what a truly jampacked train feels like. They described Roque's trip as more of a hassle to the riding public, and challenged him to take the MRT3 daily, end to end, without the aid of any personnel.

Would you like to share your vote?

Welcome to Rappler, a social news network where stories inspire community engagement and digitally fuelled actions for social change. Rappler comes from the root words "rap" (to discuss) + "ripple" (to make waves).